This invention relates to a safety warning system for use with extension tools and other tools. When activated, the system provides an audible safety warning message.
Tools such as ladders, extension ladders, extension poles and the like are used by workers in innumerable situations where there is a need to extend the worker""s reach. An unfortunate and often tragic accidental consequence of improper use of such extension tools occurs when the tool inadvertently makes contact with live electrical wires. When this happens the worker using the tool may be injured by the electrical shock conducted from the power wire, through the tool and to the worker. All too often these accidents are fatal. In addition to the personal toll caused by these accidents, any accidental electrocution results in unwanted costs, including lost worker time, increased manufacturing costs to minimize risks, increased insurance costs, and liability costs.
The dangers resulting from extension tools striking power lines are well documented. Every year in the United States alone there are thousands of cases where workers are injured or killed when an extension tool of some type makes contact with a live power wire. There are numerous resources available to educate workers about risks when using extension tools, and how to use the tools to avoid risks. To name just a few, most electric power utilities provide worker training and education resources so people will recognize the dangers involved in working around live power wires. Governmental and quasi-governmental agencies also provide educational information and other resources to employers and workers to reduce the numbers of accidents. And employers are generally encouraged or required to educate their employees in the safe and proper use of extension tools, and to provide for a safe workplace in which dangers from overhead power wires are eliminated.
Manufacturers of extension tools and employers who use them are very well aware of the risks arising from use of their tools. As just one example, various state and federal government agencies require ladder manufacturers to post warning labels on their products. The goal is of course to educate those who use the tools about dangerous situations, and to thus avoid accidents. But the risks to tool manufacturers extend beyond the risk of accidents to the user""s of the tools, and there are substantial product liability risks arising from making such tools. It is likely that every ladder manufacturer and maker of extension tools is acutely aware of these product liability risks arising when a customer uses the tool. When a tool user is injured, the manufacturer may be held liable in a products liability lawsuit. These known risks account for relatively high transactional costs in the manufacturing sectors for these tools; not only must the manufacturers make sure that their products are as safe as possible and include appropriate warning labels, but the high risk arising from use of the products and the associated high accident rate may contribute to higher insurance rates.
In continuing efforts to eliminate accidents, tool manufacturers thus are always looking for methods to make their products safer, and to inform users about the risks arising out of use of the tools and to instruct users on how to avoid those risks and to thereby avoid accidents. As noted, safety warning labels such as those used on new ladders and extension poles are often required by law or regulation, and do provide some measure of warning. However, labels applied to tools may be ineffective for any one of several reasons. First, it is easy for a worker to simply ignore a printed warning label. This can occur, for example, when the text is in a language that the worker does not read, or where the worker simply cannot read the text. But workers who are completely capable of reading a warning label often do not do so. Moreover, labels may be torn off over time, obliterated or for other reasons may become unreadable. To address these problems, some ladder manufacturers have included safety messages molded into ladder parts, such as rails, rungs and steps. While this improves the durability of the message, it does little to prevent the worker from ignoring itxe2x80x94for whatever reason.
But even where an extension tool manufacturer has met all applicable safety regulations, where all appropriate safety warning messages are in place, the user may still be involved in an accident such as where the tool strikes a power line. There is always a need, therefore, for new and improved safety warning systems that apprise workers in the recognition and avoidance of hazards.
The present invention provides a system for delivering a spoken audible safety warning message to persons using extension tools such as ladders, extension ladders, extension poles and the like. The audible message is activated when the tool is activated, or moved between retracted and extended positions and vice versa. For example, with reference to an extension pole, the message may be activated when a working tool is attached to the end of the pole, or when the pole is extended. As another example, the message may be activated when an extension ladder is extended.
The message is a spoken warning that may be in any selected language and which contains general safety information and/or information appropriate to the specific kind of tool. In the case of an extension ladder, the message may provide information about safe use of the ladder, identification and avoidance of overhead power lines, and the like. The system may include multiple safety messages, each having a different topic; a specific message may be selected at random and played back each time the tool is activated. Because the message is audible and is spoken, the worker cannot avoid hearing it and as such, accidents may be avoided.
The message is preferably recorded onto any one of a variety of integrated circuits that are well known and commercially available. There are currently available numerous speech-synthesis ICs that have playback capability with high quality sound reproduction. A preferred IC for use with the present invention is a commercially available digital sound chip that stores sound in external memory and sophisticated compression techniques so that the chips are stand alone units that are operable with replaceable batteries.